Electronic device with low profile optical plate for outputting visual feedback

Abstract

An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing. A speaker and other input-output components and control circuitry may be mounted within the housing. Light-emitting components may emit light that passes through a curved upper top cap portion or other housing structure. Some of the light-emitting components may be rotated to improve color balance. Optical structures such as a dual-shot injection molded light control plate may be disposed over the light-emitting components to promote light mixing, reduce hotspots, and improve contrast on the top cap. The light control plate may have an upper clear layer with bell-shaped cavity portions configured to help spread light in the lateral direction and may have a reflective lower layer with dish-shaped portions configured to reflect and diffuse light back towards the top cap. The surface of the dish-shaped portions may be provided with microtextured structures to help scatter light.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a speaker in the housing; 
 light-emitting components configured to project light patterns onto a portion of the housing; and 
 a light control plate between the light emitting components and the portion of the housing, wherein:
 the light control plate comprises a clear upper layer and a reflective lower layer; and 
 the clear upper layer comprises recesses each of which has a portion with a concave downward surface aligned with a respective one of the light emitting components. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device operates as a voice-controlled speaker device and wherein the housing is cylindrical and further comprises a fabric portion through which the speaker emits sound. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the housing is translucent. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the clear upper layer comprises a clear polymer layer. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the reflective lower layer comprises a white polymer layer. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the recesses forms a bell-shaped cavity over a respective one of the light-emitting components. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective lower layer comprises portions with a concave upward surface surrounding the recesses. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the light control plate further comprises microtextures at the concave upward surface configured to scatter light. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the recesses have a height greater than a thickness of the reflective lower layer. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective lower layer comprises a metal liner. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a light diffuser layer between the light control plate and the portion of the housing. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a clear layer between the light diffuser layer and the portion of the housing, wherein the clear layer and the diffuser layer are separated by an air gap. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the light control plate comprises a dual-shot injection molded structure having a thickness less than 3 millimeters. 
     
     
       14. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a speaker within the housing: 
 light-emitting components configured to emit light through a top portion of the housing; and 
 a light control plate having a clear upper layer and a reflective lower layer, wherein:
 at least some of the light emitted from the light-emitting components travel directly through the clear upper layer towards the top portion; 
 at least some of the light emitted from the light-emitting components is reflected back from a top surface of the clear upper layer via total internal reflection; and 
 at least some of the light reflecting from the top surface of the clear upper layer is reflected off an interface between the clear upper layer and the reflective lower layer back towards the top portion. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a light diffusing layer between the light control plate and the top portion, wherein the top portion comprises a translucent polymer layer. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the clear upper layer has downward facing curved surfaces configured to directly receive light from the light-emitting components. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the interface is concave upward. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the clear upper layer comprises a transparent molded polymer layer, and wherein the reflective lower layer comprises a reflective co-molded polymer layer. 
     
     
       19. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing with a top portion; 
 a speaker within the housing; 
 light-emitting components configured to emit light; and 
 a light control structure configured to spread the light emitted from the light-emitting components across the top portion, wherein the light control structure has a reflective molded portion and a clear molded portion on the reflective molded portion and wherein the clear molded portion has curved surfaces separated from the light-emitting components by a plurality of gaps. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the clear molded portion is formed by injecting a first shot of polymer and wherein the reflective molded portion is formed by injecting a second shot of polymer after the first shot. 
     
     
       21. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the reflective molded portion is formed by injecting a first shot of polymer and wherein the clear molded portion is formed by injecting a second shot of polymer after the first shot. 
     
     
       22. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein each gap in the plurality of gaps has a concave downward portion with a center aligned to a respective one of the light-emitting components. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device of  claim 22 , wherein an interface between the clear molded portion and the reflective portion forms a concave upward surface configured to reflect light coming from an upper surface of the clear molded portion.